Italian carabinieri arrested four people in the provinces of Naples and Avellino early on 30 June 2026, in connection with the bomb attack that destroyed two cars outside the home of journalist Sigfrido Ranucci last October. Three of the suspects were remanded in custody and a fourth placed under house arrest, according to a statement from the Rome prosecutor’s office. The explosion, which occurred on the evening of 16 October 2025 in the coastal town of Pomezia, caused no injuries but severely damaged the perimeter wall of the property. Ranucci, the host of the Rai 3 investigative programme Report, has been under police protection since 2021 because of repeated threats.

The four suspects — all residents of Campania, with ages ranging from 22 to 53 — are accused of possessing, carrying and using an explosive device, making threats and causing damage, with the aggravating circumstance of having acted with mafia-style methods. Investigators in Rome say the commando operated on a specific mandate from as-yet-unidentified third parties, in exchange for several thousand euros. The masterminds, according to the carabinieri, provided funds, dedicated phone cards, legal assistance and had begun planning a possible escape abroad for the perpetrators. The suspects attempted to obstruct the inquiry by destroying SIM cards, searching for hidden microphones and coordinating alibis.

Forensic analysis established that the device consisted of 200–400 grammes of quarry gelatin, an obsolete but highly destructive explosive that, according to the Rome investigative unit, pointed to an illicit supply network. A Fiat 500 X rented in Campania was identified via a traffic camera on the Pontina highway and its journey matched the movement of mobile phones used by the suspects, both on the day of the attack and during an earlier reconnaissance trip. In her detention order, the investigating judge excluded the charge of massacre, concluding that the group intended to intimidate rather than kill: the bomb was placed away from the fuel tanks, the street was deserted, and intercepted conversations showed the attackers had waited to ensure no one was nearby.

Intercepted conversations, cited extensively in the 107-page order, reveal the suspects boasting about the attack. “We’re making history,” one of them said while watching a video of the explosion. The group referred to the operation as a “favour” and a “service” carried out for payment. The investigation has also uncovered links between the alleged perpetrators and Salvatore Cava, described in the order as the regent of the Cava Camorra clan, though Cava is not indicted in this case. Italian media report that Cava expressed displeasure at being drawn into the investigation because of the attack.

Ranucci, speaking to Italian broadcasters, thanked the carabinieri and the anti-mafia prosecutor, saying he was certain the inquiry would reach “other levels”. He added that he “no longer expects anything” from the public broadcaster Rai, which had declined to cover his legal costs in a separate defamation suit. Political reactions in Rome split along familiar lines: opposition figures urged Rai to guarantee legal protection for its journalists, while the governing party expressed satisfaction with the arrests and criticised those who had previously blamed the government. The anti-mafia investigation remains open as authorities continue to search for the individuals who commissioned the bombing.